55008 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
56379
55008
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 11%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Growth
66 · Top 20%
vs80 · Top 4%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs51 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 35%
vs62 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 24%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
41 · Bottom 36%
vs60 · Top 39%
Access
54 · Bottom 5%
vs71 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
83 · Top 8%
vs66 · Top 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 56379 | 55008 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,607 | 16,729 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,138 | $84,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,718 | $39,930 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 197/sq mi | 167/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $272,400 | $290,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $993 | $1,325 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.7% | 75.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.4% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.7% | 8.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 97 | 241 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.0 | 23.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 385.0% | 391.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 3°F | 4°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 28.5" | 29.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 67 mi | 48 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 33.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.5 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.91 | 18.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.1% | 51.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 47.9% | 59.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.0% | 34.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
56379
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
55008
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: 56379 — Sauk Rapids, MN · 55008 — Cambridge, MN · How this is calculated: methodology